P2P Service Delivery Team Leader

Fixed Term Contract - 10-12 Months

The role is responsible for leading and managing all elements of purchase order creation and management, invoice processing and associated account management within Purchase to Pay.

Providing a service to Thames Water in line with business compliance, business expectations and service level agreements.  Particularly the resolution of issues, identification of improved ways of working and delivering change management.

The team leader will analyse operational performance, trends and insights to improve service and build strong relationships with stakeholders across the business. Develop a strong ethos throughout the whole team for delivering a continuous improvement culture, self-sufficiency, and development.

What you’ll be doing as a P2P Service Delivery Team Leader:

Lead and manage the Service Delivery Team to process all transactions in a timely and efficient manner and in line with KPIs and SLAs. Lead and manage the service delivery team to satisfy regulatory requirements. Ensure that processes supporting the conversion of requisitions into purchase orders and the processing of invoices are robust and auditable. Demonstrate effective management of performance against individual and team targets. Maintain stakeholder relationships both internal and external that facilitate smooth and efficient service delivery. Identify root causes of business and supplier issues within the P2P processes and plan then deliver corrective actions. Proactively reduce the time taken to process transactions and the volume of queries coming into the team. Lead meetings and workshops ensuring that meetings are productive and task oriented. Provide effective/strong leadership and support to the team ensuring clear decision making and team involvement in the development of goals etc. Develop the team to achieve self-sufficiency and ensure all tasks are performed whether supervised or not. Motivate, support and develop the team using appropriate styles. Lead and drive continuous improvement by identifying and evaluating areas for change which add value by undertaking quantitative and qualitative analysis. Maintain proactive support in the prevention and resolution of queries. Involvement in ad-hoc projects that require requisition/purchase order or invoicing input. Ensure P2P Service Delivery team adherence to business policies and procedures according to agreed standards and service levels. Carry out spot audits of processes and procedures to ensure compliance. Manage functional reporting and escalations – including people, risk, opportunity, successes, KPI, etc. What you should bring to the role:

To thrive in this role, the essential criteria you’ll need is:

Extensive experience in a fast-paced purchasing and/or invoicing team performing a similar role Strong demonstrable leadership and interpersonal skills required CIPS qualified is an advantage SAP experience, particularly Supply Chain and Finance modules Knowledge of the procedures supporting requisition to payment processes Awareness of invoice scanning systems including OCR Strong influencing skills required at different levels within the organisation Be able to develop and sustain working relationships Must be able to communicate in both a written and oral format with people at different levels in a professional manner Practical experience with process improvement and change management Ability to work alone or in a team environment whilst adopting the theme of collective responsibility Effective at delegating tasks Able to prioritise effectively Determined approach to problem resolution, drawing on own ability and experiences to see things through to a successful conclusion Attention to detail to achieve a high level of accuracy Competent in use of relevant systems and MS Office software, particularly Excel, Word and PowerPoint. What’s in it for you?

Competitive salary of £43,790 - £55,000 per annum depending on experience. Annual Leave - 26 days holiday per year increasing to 30 with the length of service. (plus bank holidays) Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets. Generous Pension Scheme through AON. Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.Find out more about our benefits and perks (Please note different T&Cs apply if on secondment)

Who are we?

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.

Learn more about our purpose and values

Working at Thames Water

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, we’re here to help and support.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment